Will Trump be ready for North Korea meeting? U.S. diplomat Bill Richardson fears he won't

President Trump shocked the world, accepting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's invitation to discuss a nuclear-free Korean peninsula. It’s historic and high-stakes.
Just the FAQs

This combination of pictures created on March 9, 2018, comprising of an undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 17, 2018, showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump applauding as he stands in front of the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square during the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Warsaw, Poland, on July 6, 2017.(Photo: Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — How should President Trump prepare for his high-stakes meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un?

He needs to quickly assemble a negotiating team of U.S. diplomats and develop a coherent strategy. He needs to consult with his predecessors. And he needs to reach out to lawmakers for advice on what’s achievable.

That’s the advice of Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Richardson has traveled to the North eight times to negotiate with the North Koreans over releasing detained Americans, recovering the remains of fallen American soldiers, and other matters.

Richardson spoke with USA TODAY on Friday about Trump’s decision to meet with Kim. Here are the highlights of our conversation:

Q: What was your reaction to the news of this meeting?

Richardson: “I was flabbergasted. My initial thought is that it was the right decision for the president to accept the meeting. But I’m very concerned about not falling into a trap with the North Koreans. And I’m very concerned that the president and his team will not be ready, will not be prepared for some very tough negotiations.”

Q: Why? Can you elaborate on those concerns?

Richardson: “The reason I believe they won’t be ready is one, the president’s own style, which is not to consult anyone and to shoot from the hip. The second is the absence of the Korea professionals in the State Department and Asian expertise in our diplomatic corps. That’s my concern.”

“… But I think it’s a risk worth taking. Here’s why. One, any reduction of tension in the Korean Peninsula is good. And I’ve never seen the state of tension and relationships among the parties there as bad as it is now. And secondly, I believe it’s important to take advantage of Kim Jong Un’s outreach, for whatever reason he’s doing it.”

Richardson: “My view is he’s doing it to keep his power. He’s feeling the effect of sanctions on his country. I think he’s achieved his ultimate military strength and this is when he feels he can negotiate. And lastly, I do think he has an end game that involves a deal between the United States and North Korea. I’ve been to North Korea eight times. The North Koreans always say if there’s going to be an agreement, it has to be the United States and North Korea. We’re the big guys in the region.”

Q: What are the North Koreans like as negotiators? What can Trump and his team expect?

Richardson: “The North Koreans are very tough, disciplined negotiators. They don’t think like we do. they don’t believe in the quid pro quo, because they believe their position is not just the correct position but that it emanates from the deity — in other words the cult of personality of their leaders. They’re very proud. They’re very stubborn. They are easily upset by insults.”

A woman wiper her eyes as she waits to pay her respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, as part of celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, known as the 'Day of the Sun', on Mansu hill in Pyongyang on April 15, 2019. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

Competitors run past the Ryugyong hotel during the annual Pyongyang marathon, April 7, 2019. There were twice as many in this years race than last. as last year ran in the city's annual maratho KIM WON JIN, AFP/Getty Images

A commuter stands before a copy of the Rodong Sinmun newspaper showing an image of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un casting his ballot at the 14th Supreme People's Assembly elections, on display at a subway station in Pyongyang, March 11, 2019. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

Students participate in a "mass dance" as part of celebrations marking the birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, known as the "Day of the Shining Star", in Pyongyang, Feb. 16, 2019. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

In this picture taken on March 5, 2019 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) waves to the crowd of welcomers uppon his arrival at the Pyongyang Station after the Vietnam summit. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / KCNA VIA KNS / AFP) / South Korea OUT / ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS / THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE --- / KCNA VIA KNS/AFP/Getty Images ORIG FILE ID: AFP_1E80FV KCNA VIA KNS, AFP/Getty Images

North Korean women use a pedestrian crossing as the top of pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel, a major landmark in the capital city, is seen in the background in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. Dita Alangkara, AP

North Koreans men walk with a background of West Sea Barrage in Nampo, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. West Sea Barrage was built in the 80s to separate Taedong River from the sea to prevent sea water intrusion into the river. Dita Alangkara, AP

A student sings in front of a green screen during a computer graphics class at Pyongyang Teachers' University, a teacher training college, in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. Dita Alangkara, AP

Attendees shout slogans during a rally in support of a new year's address by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang, Jan. 4, 2019, Much of Kim's speech focused on North Korea's moribund economy, saying that improving people's lives was his top priority and tackling energy shortages was an urgent task. KIM WON JIN, AFP/Getty Images

Korean People's Army soldiers leave after bowing before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il during National Memorial Day on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang on Dec. 17, 2018. North Korea is marking the seventh anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il. Kim Won Jin, AFP/Getty Images

Pyongyang residents prepare to lay flowers at the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il during National Memorial Day on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang on Dec. 17, 2018. AFP/Getty Images

South Korean President Moon Jae-in collects water from heaven lake at the bottom of Mount Paektu during a visit with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un on Sept. 20, 2018 in Mount Paektu, North Korea. Kim and Moon meet for the Inter-Korean summit talks after the 1945 division of the peninsula, where they will discuss ways to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. POOL VIA GETTY IMAGES

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, and his wife Kim Jung-sook, second from right, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from left, and his wife Ri Sol Ju ride a cable car to Mount Paektu in North Korea. The two Korean leaders took to the road for the final day of their summit. POOL/Pyongyang Press Corps

A dog walks at the Kim Il Sung Square with the marks on the ground which had been used to coordinate different groups in their movements during parade, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. Kin Cheung, AP

North Korean students take part in a torch march held in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding day celebrations in Pyongyang, North Korea, Monday, Sept. 10, 2018. Ng Han Guan, AP

Fireworks erupt as North Korean students hold torches during a parade on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic Of Korea on Sept. 10, 2018. Thousands of North Korean students took part in the parade as part of the National Day and 70th anniversary of the country's foundation celebrations. How Hwee Young, EPA-EFE

A portrait of Supreme leader Kim Il Sung on a float passes by as North Korean students hold torches during a torch light parade on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic Of Korea on Sept. 10, 2018. How Hwee Young, EPA-EFE

Performers hold cards to form the Korean words "Korea! Forever!" during the "Glorious Country" mass games held in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding day in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018. Kin Cheung, AP

Participants perform during the "Glorious Country" mass games held in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding day in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018. North Korea is bringing back one of its most iconic art forms, mass games performed by tens of thousands of people working in precise unison, to mark its 70th anniversary this weekend. Kin Cheung, AP

North Korean youths use cards to form the number 70 during the "Glorious Country" mass games held in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding day in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018. Ng Han Guan, AP

Korean People's Army tanks take part in a military parade on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang on Sept. 9, 2018. North Korea held a military parade to mark its 70th birthday, but refrained from showing off the intercontinental ballistic missiles that have seen it hit with multiple international sanctions. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

North Korean athletes, headed by North Korean Vice Sports Minister Won Kil U, prepare to leave the Pyongyang international airport in Pyongyang to participate in the 18th Asian Games Aug. 10, 2018. Cha Song Ho, AP

Kim Jong Un chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, inspecting the Samchon Catfish Farm in South Hwanghae Province, North Korea, Aug. 8, 2018. NORTH KOREA'S OFFICIAL KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY VIA EPA

Twenty year old instructor Kim Ju Yang holds a North Korean-made assault rifle as she poses for a portrait at the Meari shooting range in Pyongyang, July 29, 2018. The range offers customers the opportunity to shoot a number of North Korean and foreign-made firearms, most of which have been modified to fire .22 caliber ammunition which costs one US dollar per round. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

Children perform with traditional instruments at the Children's Palace in Pyongyang, July 26, 2018.
The Children's Palace is a regular fixture on tour group schedules and features arts, dance, and musical performances by children. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

Students pose for a photo after paying their respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the anniversary of the end of the Korean War, at Mansu hill in Pyongyang July 27, 2018. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

Girls dance in a studio at the Mangyongdae Children's Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, July 26, 2018. Mangyongdae Children's Palace is for talented school children to attend extracurricular classes and a popular place for tourists to visit during their stay in the capital. Dita Alangkara, AP

Korean People's Army soldiers bow before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, to mark the 24th anniversary of the death of Kim Il Sung, at Mansu Hill on in Pyongyang July 8, 2018. KIM WON-JIN, AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Animal specimens decorate a class room for biology at Mangyongdae Revolutionary School, an elite military educational establishment, in Pyongyang, June 21, 2018. The school provides basic all-round education but with a strong military emphasis as many of the pupils are expected to go on to senior careers in the military. DITA ALANGKARA, AP

A worker at Okryugwan restaurant in Pyongyang serves 'naengmyeon,' a cold noodle dish that is the restaurant's specialty, during a welcoming dinner for South Korea's basketball delegation in Pyongyang, July 3, 2018. POOL VIA EPA-EFE

People walk on a pedestrian bridge with apartment buildings in the background, in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 20, 2018. High rise apartments are a common form of accommodation for people living in the capital city. Dita Alangkara, AP

Passengers ride a trolley in Pyongyang, North Korea on June 19, 2018. The city trolley is one of the more common forms of public transportation among North Koreans living in the capital city. Dita Alangkara, AP

South Korean journalists arrive at North Korea's Kalma airport in Wonsan, May 23, 2018. Pyongyang has given South Korean reporters a last minute green-light to witness the slated demolition of North Korea's nuclear test site. SOUTH KOREAN NEWS AGENCY NEWS1 VIA DONG-A ILBO VIA AFP/GETTY IMAGES

A traffic policeman checks his watch outside the central railway station in Pyongyang. North Korea went forward in time by 30 minutes on May 4, to match its clocks with those of the South following the inter-Korean summit on April 27. KIM WON-JIN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shake hands at the Workers' Party of Korea headquarters in Pyongyang on May 9, 2018. North Korea's Official Korean Central News Agency via AFP/Getty Images

Korean People's Army soldiers arrive to pay their respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, at Mansu hill in Pyongyang April 15, 2018. ED JONES/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Staff members stand before preserved 'flat-fish' in a science classroom at the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Academy outside Pyongyang, April 10, 2018.
The academy was originally created for orphans who lost parents in the Korean War, and currently has 1000 students. ED JONES/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Spectators walk across Kim Il Sung square as they arrive to watch a fireworks display during celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang on April 15, 2018.
ED JONES/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

This photo released by the North Korean Central News Agency, shows Kim Jong-un chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, together with his wife Ri Sol-ju speaking to the cast after enjoying the ballet choreodrama 'Red Women Company' performed by a Chinese art troupe at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater, April 16, 2018. NORTH KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY VIA EPA-EFE

This April 15, 2018 picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 16, 2018 shows fireworks being displayed to celebrate the 106th birth anniversary of late North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang. KCNA VIA KNS, NORTH KOREA'S OFFICIAL KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY VIA AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Spectators watch fireworks over the Taedong river during celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang April 15, 2018. April 15 is known as the Day of the Sun. ED JONES/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Runners compete in the Pyongyang International Marathon with a backdrop of the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, North Korea, April 8, 2018. Hundreds of overseas runners hit the streets in Pyongyang for North Korea's annual marathon. Jon Chol Jin, AP

The North Korean delegation of athletes, supporters and journalists arrive in Pyongyang after taking part in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea, Feb. 26, 2018
KCNA VIA KNS VIA AFP/GETTY IMAGES

A foreign visitor stands for a photo with a Korean People's Army soldier in front of a portrait of late North Korean leader Kim Jong IL, at the 22nd 'Kimjongilia Festival' flower festival marking the upcoming 'Day of Shining Star', the anniversary of the Kim's birth, in Pyongyang Feb.13, 2018. KIM WON-JIN, AFP/GETTY IMAGES

North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released this photo taken Feb. 8, 2018 on Feb. 9, 2018. It shows North Korean soldiers marching during the military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. KCNA VIA KNS, AFP/Getty Images

The satellite Deimos-2 captured this photo of Pyongyang today during their military parade, Feb. 8, 2018. On the left of this photo you can see armored vehicles in the street during the parade. DEIMOS IMAGING AN URTHECAST COMPANY

In this image made from video by North Korea's KRT, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, attends a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea held a massive military parade highlighted by intercontinental ballistic missiles in its capital one day before South Korea hosts the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. North Korea's KRT VIA AP

A North Korean military guide leads a tour of the USS Pueblo in Pyongyang, Jan. 24, 2018. The Pueblo, an American spy ship, was attacked and captured by North Korea 50 years ago. The ship is the only commissioned US Navy ship held by a foreign government. ERIC TALMADGE, AP

A 'super blood blue moon' rises above the Ryugyong hotel in Pyongyang, Jan. 31, 2018. The cosmic event not seen in 36 years was glimpsed in parts of western North America, Asia, the Middle East, Russia and Australia. KIM WON-JIN, Afp/Getty Images

Women use drums and flags to cheer on commuters during the morning rush hour in Pyongyang Feb. 2, 2018. The cheering squads, intended to motivate people on their way to work or school, are a common morning ritual in the North Korean capital. ERIC TALMADGE, AP

A mass rally organizes in the Kim Il Sung Square vowing to carry through the tasks set forth by the country's leader Kim Jong Un in his New Year address in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan. 4, 2018. Jon Chol Jin, AP

This is an overview of the second day of the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, Dec. 22, 2017. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency via AFP/Getty Images

Passengers wait for their flights in the departures lobby of Pyongyang's international airport, Dec. 23, 2017. Despite being one of the least Internet-friendly countries in the world, North Korea's main Internet provider recently set up an airport WiFi network that is available to travelers who have cleared customs. Access to WiFi and the Internet in general remains beyond the reach of most North Koreans. Eric Talmadge, AP

Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers bow before statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il to mark the sixth anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-Il, at Mansu hill in Pyongyang Dec. 17, 2017. KIM WON-JIN, AFP/Getty Images

Song Song-Hui (C) sits with relatives gathered at her apartment in Pyongyang Nov. 17, 2017. North and South Korea are radically different societies, one ruled by the same family for decades and the other a freewheeling democracy and thrusting economy, but one thing unites them - fermented cabbage. Kimchi, originally a means of preserving the vegetable during winter and which can vary from mild to fiery, has been a staple part of virtually every meal on the now-divided peninsula for centuries. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

North Korean soldiers attend a mass rally in Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang to celebrate the North's declaration it had achieved full nuclear statehood, Dec. 1, 2017. North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un declared the country had achieved a "historic cause" of becoming a nuclear state, its state media said Nov. 29, after the country tested an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier in the day. KIM WON-JIN, AFP/Getty Images

This Dec. 12, 2017 photo released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows scientists attending a reception hosted by the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea at the Mokran House and the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images

This is a photo released by the North Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 30, 2017 of the launch of the newly developed inter-continental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15 on at an undisclosed location in North Korea, Nov. 28, 2017. KCNA via EPA-EFE

This photo was released by the North Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 30, 2017 of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un giving an order to test-fire the newly developed inter-continental ballistic rocket Hwasong-15 on at an undisclosed location in North Korea. KCNA via EPA-EFE

This Nov. 29, 2017, image provided by the North Korean government on Nov. 30, 2017, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and what the North Korean government calls the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. KCNA, KNS via AP

Ra In-Hae, 46, in her new home, portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il, hang on the wall near Rason at the northeastern tip of North Korea, Nov. 21, 2017. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

In this photo provided by South Korea Defense Ministry, South Korea's Hyunmoo II missile is fired during an exercise at an undisclosed location in South Korea, Nov. 29, 2017. South Korea Defense Ministry via AP

North Korean soldiers look at the South side near the spot where a North Korean soldier crossed the border on Nov. 13 at the Panmunjom, in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea, Nov. 27, 2017. South Korea is reportedly broadcasting on loudspeakers into North Korea news of the recent escape of a North Korean soldier who was shot five times by his former colleagues as he dashed across the rivals' border, part of Seoul's psychological warfare against the North. Lee Jin-man, AP

Vendors prepare flowers for Mother's Day at a flower shop in Pyongyang on Nov. 16, 2017. North Koreans in Pyongyang typically mark Mother's Day with flowers and chocolates. which they celebrate on Nov. 16. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

North Korean soldiers look at the South side at the spot where a North Korean soldier crossed the border on Nov. 13 at the Panmunjom, in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea, Nov. 27, 2017. South Korea is reportedly broadcasting on loudspeakers into North Korea news of the recent escape of a North Korean soldier who was shot five times by his former colleagues as he dashed across the rivals' border, part of Seoul's psychological warfare against the North. ( Lee Jin-man, AP

This is a North Korean military guard outpost seen from Paju, South Korea, Nov. 14, 2017. Four North Korean soldiers fired 40 rounds at a comrade fleeing into South Korea and hit him five times in what is the first shooting at the jointly controlled area of the heavily fortified border since 1984. Lee Jin-man, AP

Amateur horse riders compete during the 'Autumn Race-Goers Games' at the Mirim Riding Club in Pyongyang Oct. 15, 2017.
The Mirim riding club equestrian centre opened in 2013 and serves as a destination for foreign tour groups and well-heeled North Koreans. Kim Won-Jin, AFP/Getty Images

Spectators watch competitors during the 'Autumn Race-Goers Games' at the Mirim Riding Club in Pyongyang on Oct. 15, 2017. The Mirim riding club equestrian centre opened in 2013 and serves as a destination for foreign tour groups and well-heeled North Koreans. Kim Won-Jin, AFP/Getty Images

Men and women participate in a mass dance event marking the 20th anniversary of the election of former leader Kim Jong Il as general secretary of the Workers' Party, which is the founding and ruling party of North Korea, at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang,Oct. 8, 2017. Jon Chol Jin, AP

Men ride on a make shift raft to transport logs down the river that divides North Korea from China near the Chinese city of Lingjiang in northeastern China's Jilin province, Aug. 30, 2017. Ng Han Guan, AP

Participants described as 'working people, youth, and students of Pyongyang' perform during a mass gala event marking the 20th anniversary of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's election as general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Kim Il-Sung square in central Pyongyang, Oct. 8, 2017.
Kim Won-Jin, AFP/Getty Images

Spectators gather to watch a public news brodcast of a statement by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, before a public television screen outside the central railway station in Pyongyang, Sept. 21, 2017. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

Spectators listen to a television news brodcast of a statment by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, before a public television screen outside the central railway station in Pyongyang on Sept. 21, 2017.
Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

A North Korean soldier stands on the bank of the Yalu river near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on Sept. 4, 2017. AFP

Fireworks go off while Pyongyang residents and military people hold a celebration rally on the test of a hydrogen bomb for ICBM at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Sept. 4, 2017. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency via AFP/Getty Images

This coastline (top) above the barbed-wire fence is the Demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea, on Ganghwa island on Sept. 4, 2017.
North Korea could be preparing another Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers cheer while watching fireworks during a mass celebration in Pyongyang for scientists involved in carrying out North Korea's largest nuclear blast to date.Sept. 6, 2017. Citizens of the capital lined the streets to wave pink and purple pom-poms and cheer a convoy of buses carrying the specialists into the city, and toss confetti over them as they walked into Kim Il-Sung Square. Kim Won-Jin, AFP/Getty Images

The sun rises over North Korea and the Yalu river which forms the border between China and North Korea, as seen from Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on Sept. 5, 2017.
Greg Baker, AFP/Getty Images

North Koreand rest on a wall on the bank of the Yalu river near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on Sept. 5, 2017.
Greg Baker, AFP/Getty Images

North Korean soldiers stand at a fence on the bank of the Yalu river near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on Sept. 5, 2017.
Greg Baker, AFP/Getty Images

Two North Koreans help each other wash in the Yalu river near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on Sept. 4, 2017.
Greg Baker, AFP/Getty Images

A North Korean man brings his boat up to a Chinese tourist boat to sell North Korean products, on the Yalu river near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on Sept. 4, 2017.
Greg Baker, AFP/Getty Images

North Korean men unload a trailer on the bank of the Yalu river near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on Sept. 4, 2017.
Greg Baker, AFP/Getty Images

A North Korean soldier stands on a loading ramp on the bank of the Yalu river near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong, in China's northeast Liaoning province on Sept. 4, 2017.
Greg Baker, AFP/Getty Images

Korean People's Army soldiers applaud as they watch a screen showing news coverage of a missile test launch, in a public square outside a train station in Pyongyang on Aug 30, 2017. Kim Won-Jin, AFP/Getty Images

People fill the square of the main railway station to watch a televised news broadcast of the test-fire of an inter-continental ballistic rocket Hwasong-12, in Pyongyang, Aug. 30, 2017. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP

This picture from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) taken on Aug. 29, 2017 and released on August 30, 2017 shows North Korea's intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 lifting off from the launching pad at an undisclosed location near Pyongyang. Nuclear-armed North Korea said on August 30 that it had fired a missile over Japan the previous day, the first time it has ever acknowledged doing so. Korean Central News Agency via AFP/Getty Images

A hostess cooks clams using gasoline, at the West Sea Barrage beach outside the coastal city of Nampho, southwest of Pyongyang on July 22, 2017.
The West Sea Barrage beach features as a stopping point for foreign tourists, and is a destination for North Korean work groups from the neighbouring area. The beach lies at the end of an eight-kilometre-long barrage that separates the sea from the Taedong River, which runs through Pyongyang. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

A photo taken on July 22, 2017, shows beachgoers dancing at the West Sea Barrage beach outside the coastal city of Nampo, southwest of Pyongyang.
The West Sea Barrage beach features as a stopping point for foreign tourists and is a destination for North Korean work groups from the neighboring area. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images

The sky is overcast in Pyongyang July 17, 2017. The 105-story pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel has been under construction since 1987 and was intended to be a landmark and a symbol of progress and prosperity, but the economic difficulties that the country went through forced the project into repeated delays and nearly 30 years later. It has become a major Pyongyang landmark but has never been used as a hotel, as it was intended. Wong Maye-E, AP

Soldiers of the Korean People's Army (KPA) watch a fireworks display as part of celebrations marking the July 4 launch of the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile in Pyongyang, July 6, 2017. Kim Won-Jin, AFP/Getty Images

Staff members from a boat restaurant on the Taedong River line up at the entrance as they wait to greet customers June 18, 2017, in Pyongyang. The boat is berthed along the river, which is the fifth longest river on the Korean Peninsula and runs through the country's capital. Wong Maye-E, AP

A Korean People's Army (KPA) soldier gestures as he stands before the military demarcation line separating North and South Korea, before South Korea's 'Freedom House' (rear C) at the Joint Security Area (JSA) near Kaesong, June 4, 2017. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 22, 2017 shows North Korean ground-to-ground medium-to-long range strategic ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 being launched in a test-fire. North Korea declared its medium-range Pukguksong-2 missile ready for deployment after a weekend test, the latest step in its quest to defy UN sanctions and develop a weapon capable of striking US targets. (KCNA) via AFP/Getty Images

This is a test launch of the ground-to-ground medium long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 at an undisclosed location. This picture taken on May 14, 2017 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, via AFP/Getty Images

Women soldiers march across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on in Pyongyang, April 15, 2017, They were celebrating the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un. Wong Maye-E, AP

Soldiers march across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on in Pyongyang, April 15, 2017, They were celebrating the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un. Wong Maye-E, AP

Schoolgirls attend a dance class at the Mangyongdae Children's Palace in Pyongyang, April 14, 2017. Amid rising regional tensions, Pyongyang residents have been preparing for North Korea's most important holiday: the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un. Wong Maye-E, AP

Students participate in a mass dance event to mark the occasion of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's election as chairman of the National Defense Committee in 1993, in Pyongyang on April 9, 2017. Mass dances are usually held to mark important dates and national holidays in the North Korean capital. Wong Maye-E, AP

Workers leave an assembly area after rehearsals for celebrations ahead of the April 15 "Day of the Sun," a national holiday marking the birthday of the late Kim Il Sung, leader Kim Jong Un's grandfather and North Korea's "eternal president" April 10, 2017, in Pyongyang. Wong Maye-E, AP

A North Korean soldier looks at the south side while U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was visiting the border village of Panmunjom, which has separated the two Koreas since the Korean War, March 17, 2017. Lee Jin-man, Pool

This undated picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on March 7, 2017 shows the launch of four ballistic missiles by the Korean People's Army during a military drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
KCNA via AFP/Getty Images

Kim Jong-Un supervives the launching of four ballistic missiles by the Korean People's Army during a military drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea. This photo was released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via on March 7, 2017. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images

The representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations plant memorial trees in downtown Pyongyang March 2, 2017. Pyongyang's new "Ryomyong Street" is to have the country's tallest apartment building, at 70 stories, along with a 50-story building and a handful of smaller ones in the 30-40 story range. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP

A worker pushes a trolley carrying buckets of silk-worm larvae at the Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill in Pyongyang Feb. 21, 2017.
The Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill employs a workforce of 1,600 people, and is named after the grandmother of current North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

People watch a fireworks display as they visit an ice festival near the Taedong river, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-Il, in central Pyongyang Feb. 16, 2017. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

People look at a noticeboard after a fireworks display in front of Kim Il-Sung square as they visit an ice festival near the Taedong river, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-Il, in central Pyongyang, Feb. 16, 2017.
Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

A woman dressed in a traditional gown pays her respects at statues of late North Korean leaders, Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. Unaware of reports his eldest son - and current leader Kim Jong Uns half-brother - was killed just days ago in what appears to have been a carefully planned assassination, North Koreans marked the birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il on Thursday as they do every year. Eric Talmadge, AP

A boy runs with the national flag along the Pyongyang-Wonsan highway in Wonsan, which is about 125 miles from the capital and is a port city located along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, Feb. 11, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP

Children of the workers at the Suk Silk Mill sing and dance at a childcare center at the the mill in Pyongyang, Jan. 6, 2017. The mill, named after North Korean leader Kim Jong UnÕs grandmother, is where 1,600 workers _ mostly women _ sort and process silkworms which produce silk thread that officials at the Pyongyang factory say is made into roughly 200 tons of silk a year. Wong Maye-E, AP

This woman sorts silkworm cocoons to be boiled as part of the silk production process at the Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill in Pyongyang, Jan. 6, 2017. In his New Year's address, leader Kim Jong Un called for the people to step up production. Wong Maye-E, AP

A traffic police officer directs traffic on a road in Pyongyang Dec. 2, 2016
Believed to be hand-picked for their looks, Pyongyang's female traffic police are a familiar sight at intersections around the capital, where traffic volumes have noticeably increased in recent years. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

North Korean honor guards watch as Choe Ryong Hae, vice chairman of North Korea's State Affairs Commission leaves for the departure gates at the Pyongyang Airport Jan. 6, 2017. Hae was headed to Nicaragua to attend the inauguration of their newly elected President Daniel Ortega. Wong Maye-E, AP

A member of North Korea's under-20 women's football team is welcomed back at Pyongyang airport after beating France to win the 2016 FIFA under-20 Women's World Cup Dec. 6, 2016. KIM WON-JIN, AFP/Getty Images

Korean People's Army (KPA) lieutenant and tour guide Hwang Myong-jin poses for a photo in front of a hut where negotiations for the Korean War armistice agreement were held in 1953, at Panmunjom near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea Nov. 30, 2016. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

Azalea, whose Korean name is "Dalle", a 19-year-old female chimpanzee, smokes a cigarette at the Central Zoo in Pyongyang, North Korea Oct. 19, 2016. According to officials at the newly renovated zoo, which has become a favorite leisure spot in the North Korean capital since it was re-opened in July, the chimpanzee smokes about a pack a day. They insist, however, that she does not inhale. Wong Maye-E, AP

Residents look up at a big screen TV in front of Pyongyang railway station showing television presenter Ri Chun-Hee officially announcing that the country successfully tested a nuclear warhead earlier in the day on Sept. 9, 2016.
North Korea has successfully tested a nuclear warhead, it said which said the "maniacal recklessness" of young ruler Kim Jong-Un would lead to self-destruction. Kim Won-Jin, AFP/Getty Images

A North Korean man gulps down a glass of draft beer during a beer drinking competition held Aug. 12, 2016 in Pyongyang. This competition was held during a beer festival along the Taedong River in the North Korean capital. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP

A surface-to-surface medium long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-10, also known by the name of Musudan missile, being launched at an undisclosed location, North Korea. According to South Korea and Japan's officials, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile off its east coast early Aug 3, 2016. KCNA, via European Pressphoto Agency

North Korean soldiers peep into a conference room in the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission Conference Building during a ceremony marking the 63rd anniversary of the signing of the Korean War ceasefire armistice agreement at the truce village of Panmunjom, South Korea. Kim Hong-Ji, AP

Military personnel stand during a rally at Kim Il Sung Square July 2, 2016, in Pyongyang. They were celebrating the new title of chairman of the new State Affairs Commission given to leader Kim Jong Un at a meeting of its national parliament. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP

A missile is fired during a drill by Hwasong artillery units of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army, photo released on July 21, 2016 . North Korea said its latest ballistic missile tests trialled detonation devices for possible nuclear strikes on US targets in South Korea and were personally monitored by supreme leader Kim Jong-Un. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images

A metro employee on board the newest cars at the Puhung metro station in Pyongyang, April, 13, 2016. They have one of the deepest metros in the world consisting of two lines with these recently added new cars. Franck Robichon, EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY

A live-shell firing drill by artillery sub-units under large combined units of the North Korean Army, is shown in this undated photo, under the simulated conditions of beating back enemy forces conducting a surprise night landing. The photo was released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 12, 2016. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images

Kim Jong Un, left, Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, issues an order to conduct the ground jet test of a new type high-power engine of inter-continental ballistic rocket and comes to the Sohae Space Center to guide the test. KCNA via EPA

A rocket is displayed during the Immortal Flower Festival 'Kimilsungia' in Pyongyang, North Korea on April 13, 2016. The country is preparing to mark the 'Day of the Sun' celebrating the day of birth of the country's founder, Kim Il-Sung. on April 15. Franck Robichon, EPA

An image of the operation of a new type large-caliber multiple rocket launching system at an undisclosed location in North Korea is released from KCNA on March 24, 2016. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has claimed an "historic" advance in the country's nuclear strike capability with the successful test of a solid-fuel rocket engine, state media said. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images

A large mosaic representing Kim Il-Sung, left, and Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang suburbs, North Korea is shown on April 12, 2016. An ethnic Korean U.S. citizen was sentenced to 10 years in jail for espionage. Franck Robichon, EPA

Newly manufactured shoes are seen at Wonsan Shoes Factory in the Kangwon Province, March 14, 2016. North Koreans are being mobilized en masse to boost production and demonstrate their loyalty to leader Kim Jong Un in a 70-day campaign aimed at wiping out "indolence and slackness." To show their loyalty, workers are putting in extra hours to boost production in everything from coal mining to fisheries. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP

This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 2, 2016 shows a missile test of a new-type anti-air guided weapon system at an unknown location. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images

A man rides his bicycle in front of a portion of the Great Wall on Hwanggumpyong Island, which is located in the middle of the Yalu River between the North Korean town of Sinuiju and the Chinese town of Dandong, on Feb. 9, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images

A North Korean soldier smokes a cigarette on the banks of the Yalu River in the North Korean town of Sinuiju, in an image taken from across the river in the Chinese border town of Dandong Feb. 8, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images

North Korean veterans gather before the start of a parade in Pyongyang, North Korea. Leader Kim Jong Un declared that his country was ready to stand up to any threat posed by the United States as he spoke at a lavish military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the North's ruling party and trumpet his third-generation leadership on Oct. 10, 2015. Maye-E Wong, AP

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un watches a military firing contest in a photo released Jan. 5, 2016. Reports did not specify when Kim viewed the contest, but it is presumed to be his first military-related field guidance of 2016. Rodong Sinmun via European Pressphoto Agency

Hyeon Soo Lim, pastor of the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto, is escorted to his sentencing in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Dec. 16, 2015. North Korea's Supreme Court sentenced him to life in prison with hard labor for what it called crimes against the state. Jon Chol Jin, AP

This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 14, 2015, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspecting the construction site of the Paektusan Hero Youth power station in Ryanggaung province. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images

A picture released by the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling North Korean Workers Party, on Sept. 8, 2015, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center front, and Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, second from right, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and first vice-president of the Council of State, watching an art performance by the Moranbong Band and the State Merited Chorus in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Sept. 7, 2015. Bermudez led a Cuban delegation to North Korea to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between North Korea and Cuba. Rodong Sinmun, European Pressphoto Agency

Portaits of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il glow on the facade of a building as the Juche Tower, top left, one of the city's landmarks, is seen in the background at dawn in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Aug. 19, 2015. Dita Alangkara, AP

People line up Aug. 16, 2015, at kiosk in Pyongyang, North Korea. Street stalls that offer North Koreans a place to spend -- or make -- money on everything from snow cones to DVDs are flourishing in Pyongyang and other North Korean cities, modest but growing forms of private commerce in a country where capitalism is officially anathema. Dita Alangkara, AP

A newlywed couple pose, during a photo shoot on Sijung Ho beach in North Korea, on Aug. 18, 2015. The couple gathered with their friends and family members to have their pictures taken after their wedding ceremony. Dita Alangkara, AP

People dance during the celebration of the Liberation Day as the portrait of North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il are seen in the background at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Aug. 15, 2015. Thousands of people take part in the celebration that commemorates the 17th anniversary of the liberation of the Koreas from Japanese colonial rule. Dita Alangkara, AP

North Koreans bow in front of bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Munsu Hill, July 27, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Koreans gathered to offer flowers and pay their respects to their late leaders as part of celebrations for the 62nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. Wong Maye-E, AP

Staff wait at the check-in counters of the new international airport terminal building at Pyongyang airport, July 1, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea. The unveiling underscores an effort to attract more tourists and to spruce up the country ahead of the celebration of a major anniversary of the founding of its ruling Worker's Party in October this year. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP

An Air Koryo plane sits on the tarmac in front of the new Pyongyang International Airport terminal building, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Air Koryo is the only carrier to have been awarded just one star in rankings released recently by the UK-based SkyTrax consultancy agency. Wong Maye-E, AP

Men and women pump their fists in the air and chant "defend!" as they carry propaganda slogans calling for reunification of their country during the "Pyongyang Mass Rally on the Day of the Struggle Against the U.S.," attended by approximately 100,000 North Koreans to mark the 65th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War at the Kim Il Sung stadium, Thursday, June 25, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea. The month of June in North Korea is known as the "Struggle Against U.S. Imperialism Month" and it's a time for North Koreans to swarm to war museums, mobilize for gatherings denouncing the evils of the United States and join in a general, nationwide whipping up of the anti-American sentiment. Wong Maye-E, AP

A farmer stands in front of a field June 24, 2015, in South Hwanghae, North Korea. There has been almost no rain in this part of the country, according to farmers and local officials interviewed by the Associated Press. While the situation in the area that the AP visited looks grim, it is unclear how severe the drought is in the rest of the country. Wong Maye-E, AP